Coconut Development Board organized a nationwide campaign for coconut farmers along with the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare on the theme Kisan Bhagidari Prathmika Hamari campaign under Annadata Devo Bhava programme.
Honb’le Union Agriculture Minister, Shri Narendra Singh Thomar inaugurated the programme on virtual platform and addressed the farmers. During his inaugural address he opined that the programme is being organized on mission mode as part of eradication of poverty in the country right from the village level.
He further spoke on the Kisan Bhagidari Prathmika Hamari campaign under Annadata Devo Bhava wherein the government is bestowing to the importance of farmer participation. Protection of the farmers is the need of the hour. On the occasion he briefed on the importance of Kissan Credit Card, Fasal Bhima Yojana,Soil Health Card etc. He also highlighted the necessity for the adoption of advanced technologies and the need for formulation of more Farmer Producer Organizations in the country.
Shri Kailash Choudhary, Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmer’s Welfare who spoke on the occasion said that farmers should take advantage of all the schemes introduced by the government and adopt the technologies, new seeds and new varieties of crops developed.
Krishi Vigyan Kendras from across the country facilitated the participation of farmers in the programme through virtual mode. The Minister interacted with the progressive farmers who had availed various benefits extended by the Government of India.
Shri. K Shanmugasundaram, Hon'ble MP, Pollachi constituency inaugurated the Centre of Excellence for Coconut at the CDB, DSP Farm of the Board in Dhali, Tamilnadu. Dr S Vineeth IAS, District Collector Tirupur presided over the progarmme. Shri. S. V. Muthuramalingam and Shri. R. Elango members of the Board, Shri.R Vadivelu Joint Director of Agriculture; Shri. V Udhayakumar President Dhali Town Panchayat and Smt T Bala Sudhahari, Director i/c CDB RO, Chennai spoke during the occasion. Around 200 coconut farmers and FPO members participated in the programme.
Inauguration of the Office building cum Farmers training Centre in the DSP farm of the Board at Tripura was also held as part of the campaign . Shri.Pranajit Singha Roy, Minister for Agriculture, Government of Tripura inaugurated the programme. Shri Sankar Roy, MLA, Sabroom Constituency, Tripura, Shri Apurba Roy, Secretary, Department of Agriculture & farmers Welfare, Govt. of Tripura, Shri Saju Vaheed A, IAS,District Magistrate, Shri. Hemchandra, Director and Shri. B Chinnaraj, Farm Manager, CDB spoke during the occasion. Around 500 coconut farmers and 100 officials participated in the programme
A three day Virtual Trade Fair on Coconut Products show casing a variety of diversified processed products from different parts of coconut was also kick started as part of the programme wherein 530 buyers and 50 sellers registered on the first day.
A district level programme was organized at Kavarathi which was inaugurated by Shri. Abdul Khader, President of the panchayath. A seminar exclusively for 200 women and tribal folk was also organized at Malda district in West Bengal.
Coconut Development Board also conducted 14 programmes in the states of Kerala, Tamilnadu, Karnataka, West Bengal, Tripura and Lakshadweep as part of the campaign. Around 3500 farmers from various states took part in the programme.
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